Laminated article



p 1934. s. B. BLAISDELL 1,972,756

LAMINATED ART I CLE Original Filed May 23, 1931 2 SheetsSheet l fwezars SWBBMM 5 fiz sadgjrbmeys P 1934. s, s. BLAESDELL 1,972,756

LAMINATED ARTICLE Original Filed May 23, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 frame/afar 5121616 3 BM Patented Sept. 4, i934 iterates WMTATED ARMCLE Sidney e. ciaieeeii, Wyncote' Pa, assignor the 2 -lFidellity Machine Company, Wilmington, Bet,

a corporation oi Delaware @riginai application 539,594. Divided and y '23, rear, Serial Ne,

this application June lid,

1932, Serial No. fillihllhh ll (Claim.

- This application is a division of the copending application Serial No. 539,594, filed May 2 3, 1931. The invention relates to a laminated structure and to the process of manufacture thereof, and

5 particularly to a circular fabricated article of manufacture such as a moistwre-proof cable, hose, etc., wherein a core element is encased within one or a plurality of successively applied textile coverings, located between the core mern= it her and an outer layer of rial or interspersed with a plurality of layers oi such moisture-proof material, such as an asphalt product, rubber, rubber compound, etc., consti= tuting a composite unit bonded together by the is inherent adhesive qualities of the asphalt or rubber, or an integral unit formed by subsequent vulcanization of the rubber, or by the setting of the asphalt product after fabrication of the laminated structure has been completed.

ail Prior to this invention the textile coverings employed in such articles have been composed entirely of braided tubes, necessitating the use or" complicated and relatively expensive braiding machinery, requiring the constant attention of an operator for a relatively small chines producing individual articles. The braided tubes employed are of a relatively close weave and lie flatly against the core member or an underlying layer ofthe article being fabricated and Bil thereby present practically no means for grippinga superposed layer of said moisture-proof sub stance subsequently applied.

One object of the present invention is to produce a circular fabricated structurewherein the textile coverings, at least in part, are formed of knitted fabric, the stitch wales of which constitute keys for a layer of moisture-proof substance subsequently applied, whereby the said keys become embedded in said substance and the said at substance is therefore gripped or locked in place.

In cases where asphalt or an asphaltic preparation is used the stitch wales of the knitted fabric are preferably spaced relatively far apart, the opposite edges of adjacent stitch wales forming v at a sort of dovetail connection between the textile covering and the superposed layer of asphalt. In caseswhere rubber is used the stitch wales are preferably spaced relatively closer together for adding strength to the ultimate body, as the tabric becomescompletely embedded in the rubber upon subsequent vulcanization thereof. This is particularly desirable in the manufacture of hose where radial strength is essential. In knitting the fabric tube or tubes about the core member or about an underlying layer of rubber, the stitch outside of .the knitted tube to moisture-=proof mategroup of mawales and cross threads of which the tube is composed are relatively spaced circumferentially and longitudinally of the assembly a suficient distance to provide in the wall of the knitted tube, between adjacent wales and adjacent cross @9 threads, openings of such areas respectively as will permit rubber subsequently applied to the pass through the openings and make direct contact with the rubber disposed inside the knitted tube, .whereby in the final vulcanization of the assembly the rubber inside and outside the tube becomes a solid inseparable body through the openings. in order to space the wales and cross threads in the inan ner noted, a circular knitting head such as that 559 shown in the copending application of Walter Larkin, Serial No. 683,382, filed August 2, 1933,

is preferably employed.

Another feature attending the use of tubular knitted fabric resides in the ability to use simple and relatively inexpensive automatic knitting machinery which requires very little-oi the operators attention, thus making it posible for one attendant to run a large number of machines.

One advantage in the use of the simple auto- 39 matic circular knitting machine units resides in the compactness of the unit which takes up a relatively small amount of floor area; and another extremely advantageous feature of the knitting machine over the braiding machine is the in- $5 creased production due to higher speed where knitted. coverings alone are employed.

Another feature attending the use of knitted fabric is the saving of thread as compared with the amount requiredfor the formation of a cor- W responding braided tube as has been previously employed, and an actual increase in strength in hose containing knitted tubes over hose containing braided tubes.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention and the details of construction and manufacture will be fully disclosed hereinafter, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional elevation 1% illustrating one form of apparatus for fabricating a laminated structure in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of an article after it is taken from the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 and 1955 showing portions of the various layers removed to permit the underlying layer to be seen;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 33, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation 3'1 wales and acting as a peripheral 2 taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 3, and drawn to an enlarged scale;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the wales of the knitted tubes disposed in relatively close relation to each other, as in the manufacture of hose.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, A indicates a core element which in the present instance is shown as passing downwardly from a source of supply (not shown) and axially through a needlesupporting element 11 of a circular knitting unit 10, in which is disposed a series of angularly spaced needles 12. In the present instance the needle-supporting element 11 is shown as the cylinder of an ordinary circular knitting machine,

wherein the needles are spaced laterally as noted above and disposed in parallel relationship to the axis and on the outside of the cylinder through which the core element A passes. Obviously, the cylinder 2 may be replaced by a circular dial or plate having radially extending grooves in which the needles 12 may operate, without departing from the spirit of the invention. The knitting unit 10 is adapted to form a knitted tube B around the core element A, automatically, as the core element passes axially through the needle-supporting element 11.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the knitted tube B comprises a plurality of substantially parallel longitudinally extending stitch wales b, which are angularly spaced around the core element A, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the stitch wales b being connectedby cross threads b which pass from wale to wale in the formation of the courses of stitches constituting the wales b, these cross stitches b producing a ladder effect between adjacent stitch binding around the underlying core element A. From the knitting unit 10 the core element A with the primary fabric covering B thereon passes to and axially through a coating unit 20, which comprises a container 21 in which is maintained a body of plastic material 0, which is to be applied in a layer completely enclosing and encircling the knitted fabric covering B and passing through the openings provided by the angularly spaced wales b and longitudinally spaced cross threads b into direct contact with the underlying core member A, as shown in Fig. 5, the container 21 being provided with an opening 22 through which the partly fabricated structure passes, the diameter of the opening 22 being such as to properly gauge and determine the thickness of the coating C and to press the coating through the openings in the knitted tube B as the partly fabricated structure passes therethrough.

The partly fabricated structure, comprising the core element A, the knitted fabric covering B,

and the layer or coating of plastic material C, then passes through a second knitting unit 30 which corresponds in all respects to the knitting unit 10 and provides, around the layer of plastic material C, a knitted tubular structure D, which corresponds with the primary textile covering B as above noted, the stitch wales d being spaced substantially the same as the stitch wales b of the covering B and being connected by the cross threads d in the general manner above noted.

From the knitting unit" 30 the article, then comprising the core element A, textile covering B as above noted, the stitch wales d being spaced through another coating unit 40 which comprises a container 41 in which isficated a body of plastic material e, the container being provided with an outlet or gauge opening 42 for determining the thickness of the coating E applied to the textile covering D.

From the coating unit 40 the partly fabricated structure, including the elements A, B, C, D and E, passes through a braiding unit 50, such as those commonly employed in the manufacture of articles of this kind at the present time, the braiding unit comprising a series of bobbin carriers 51 which move through serpentine paths around the article passing axially through the unit, each bobbin carrier 51 carrying a bobbin 52, the-individual threads ,f of which are, by the passing of the carriers in opposite directions through the serpentine paths noted, interbraided or interwoven with each other to produce the braided tube F around the outermost coating of plastic material E. I While this last-mentioned textile covering F is described as being of the braided character, obviously a knitted tube, such as B or D, may be employed, but in order to give the finished article the same general appearance as those now on the market it is preferred to use a common braided tube. The fabricated article, then constituted by the elements A, B, C, D, E and F, passes through a final coating unit 60 which comprises a container 61 containing a body of plastic material g and provided with an outlet opening 62 which gauges the thickness of the final coating G, which is applied outside the fabric covering F and completes the fabrication of the article.

In the production of moisture-proof cables the core element A would consist of a cable, either in the form of a single wire or a plurality of strands assembled in such a manner as to produce a single core element such as illustrated at A, and the plastic substances 0, e and g would be in the form of asphalt, an asphalt composition, or similar moisture-proof'and electric insulating substance, in a plastic state, the containers 20, 40 and 60, if desired, being provided with any suitable means for maintaining the substance in a plastic state, such as steam jackets, electric heating coils or gas burners commonly employed for such purposes.

Upon referring to g 5 particularly, it will be noted that the stitches b of the tubular fabric B do not lie immediately against the underlying element A and conse quently form keys or looking pockets into which portions of the plastic material 0 pass, as illustrated at 0 for example, in Figs. 4 and 5, the stitch wales b acting as keys and providing a sort of dovetail locking connection for the coating C by the portions 0 of the coating C passing under the stitches b, the ladder threads b being embedded in the coating C and functioning as a means for preventing longitudinal movement be tween the coating and the textile covering B, while the wales b extending longitudinally of the article act as keys and prevent circumferential relative movement between the coating C and the covering B. Thus, the coating C is maintained in fixed relation to the underlying core element A.

Upon reference to Figs. 3 and 5, it will be noted that the stitch wales d of the textile covering D are disposed in positions between adjacent stitches wales b of the ering B. This staggering of the wales d with respect to the underlying wales b produces an article void of longitudinal ridges and adds to the general effectiveness of the article, the wales D being disposed immediately outside the intermediate portions 0 of the coating C which lie the enlarged views 4 and underlying fabric covdial displacement of the between the stitch wales b, b of the fabric covering B, thus maintaining these intermediate portions 0 against radial displacement, assisted by the ladder threads d which connect the wales d, d. Fig. 5 further accentuates the dovetail connection between the coating E and the stitch wales d, the portions 11 of the coating passing in and under the longitudinally extending stitch wales d.

As described with respect to the coating C as to how lateral and longitudinal displacement of the coating with respect to the textile covering B is prevented, the lateral and longitudinal displacement of the coating E with respect to the fabric covering D is effected in a like manner, racoating E being prevented by the woven or braided fabric F which forms a sort of network completely around the outside of the coating E. Relative displacement of the threads I is prevented by portions 9 of the outer coating G entering the openings f formed by the interbraiding of the threads I, f. The outer coating G while maintaining the threads ,f, f in spaced relation to each other provides a protective covering for the outer fabric covering F and increases the thickness of the insulation composed of the coatingsC, E and F.

The whole of the fabricated structure above described is bonded together by the inherent adhesive qualities of the asphalt in its plastic state and when the asphalt sets the laminated fabricated structure assumes the form of an integral unit, the outer coating becoming non-adhesive as the asphalt cools.

In the case of the manufacture of hose, such as common garden hose, the layers of material 0, e and g may be in the form of rubber compound in a plastic, raw or partially vulcanized state and applied to the knitted coverings by any of the well known methods employed in the manufacture of hose, and by any well known apparatuses replacing the containers 21, 41 and 61 respectively.

In the production of the rubber hose the stitch wales b of the covering B and the stitch wales d of the covering D will be relatively close together as illustrated in Fig. 6, but still spaced sufliciently far apart to provide the openings above noted and the core element, in place of being a cable, will take the form of a primary rubber tube illustrated at A in Fig. 6.

In the instance of the manufacture of rubber hose, after the fabricated laminated structure leaves the last of the rubber-applying units it passes through an apparatus commonly used in the manufacture of hose and-known as a leading machine, wherein an outer sheathing of lead, illustrated diagrammatically at L in Fig. 6, is applied to the outer layer of rubber G. After receiving the lead sheathing L the hose is taken to a vulcanizing apparatus wherein steam under pressure is admitted into the inner tubing A and maintained under pressure therein for a given period of time, the heating of the steam within the inner tubing A effecting vulcanization of the layers 0, E and G with the inner tubing A whereby the fabric coverings B D and F become embedded in a homogeneous mass of rubber and add the necessary strength to the hose to resist radial strains applied by fluid passing through the hose. After the vulcanization of the hose is completed the lead sheathing L is stripped from the finished article in the manner usual in the manufacture of hose. The close relationship of the wales b and d of the fabric tubes B and-D add materially to the strength of the hose.

In either case, that is the manufacture of moisture-proof cables or the manufacture of hose, a material saving is effected by the use of the intermediate fabric tubes being constructed of knitted fabric in place of braided fabric as in the past, for the reasons above noted.

While but two intermediate fabric coverings have been described in the present instance, obviously any desired number of fabric coverings may be provided in a like manner with a layer of plastic material interspersed between the successively applied fabric coverings, for example, in the manufacture of hose it frequently occurs that six fabric layers are provided. However, as the operations of the knitting units are automatic the process of fabrication may be progressively carried on without interruption, regardless of the number of fabric tubes employed in producing the final product.

If desired the textile coverings may be formed around the core element in successive order without introducing plastic material therebetween and the fabricated article then submerged in a heated bath of plastic material for a period of time sumcient or necessary to permit the tex tile coverings to absorb the proper amount of the heated compound to provide, for example in the case of cables, the required insulation.

I claim:

The process of producing an art of manufacture comprising a core element and superposed layers of textile fabric and plastic moisture-proof substance, said process comprising the knitting of a tube around the core member in a manner to provide openings in the wall of the knitted tube of sufficiently large areas respectively as will permit the passage of substantial bodies of said substance to pass through the wall of the tube, and applying a layer'of said moisture-proof substance to the knitted tube and through said openings into contact with the core member.

SIDNEY B. BLAISDELL. 

